1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fluidtight connector, particularly to a watertight connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-183342 discloses a watertight connector with a male housing and a female housing that are connectable with each other. The female housing includes a terminal accommodating portion formed with cavities for receiving female terminals. An outer tube surrounds the terminal accommodating portion and a rubber ring is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating portion.
A receptacle of the male housing is fit into a space between the rubber ring and the outer tube in the female housing. As a result, the rubber ring is squeezed between the receptacle and the terminal accommodating portion to provide sealing between the two housings, and all of the cavities are made watertight at once. However, a space for the rubber ring must be provided on the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion, and enlarges the connector in a direction normal to the longitudinal direction of the connector.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-147248 discloses a connector that attempts to achieve miniaturization by mounting a sheet-like sealing member before the terminal accommodating portion with respect to a connecting direction with the male housing instead of mounting the rubber ring on the outer periphery of the terminal accommodating portion.
The sealing member is secured to the rear surface of a holder and closely contacts the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion when the holder is mounted on the front side of the terminal accommodating portion. On the other hand, projections are formed on the front surface of the male housing and cover base ends of forwardly projecting male terminals.
The projections pass through holes in the holder when the housings are connected and are pressed into fitting holes in the sealing member for closely contacting peripheral surfaces of the fitting holes over the entire peripheries. As a result, the cavities of the female housing are made watertight.
However, relative vibration of the two housings is more likely to occur in the latter construction than in the former construction where the two housings are held in close contact over the entire circumference via the rubber ring. This might cause fine sliding abrasion to peel off gold plating due to the abrasion of the terminals.
The invention was developed in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a watertight connector miniaturized by mounting a sealing member before a terminal accommodating portion and capable of suppressing relative vibration of housings and preventing fine sliding abrasion of terminals.